Day 219: Out and about

Day 219 (13 Jul) Saturday. You might recall this blog was in Tokyo about seven months ago, just after it got started. The 6.12am pics then were quite dark, being the middle of winter and all. Not so this time. Quite a contrast each morning with the light coming in around 4.00am. 

Outside my room, at 6.12am

My daily timetable shifts quite a few hours when I'm in Tokyo, it's just a different rhythm to life. So a 6.12am wake-up is usually a little early for the rest of the house. Breakfast is usually about 8.00am before heading out to do work. Jinko has plans for us to head to Odawara Castle tomorrow with some photography friends and former work colleagues so today I plan to spend a little time in town, again, just noting, observing, checking out the latest books. 

Streetscape on the way home

Looking at the 'latest releases' displays in bookshops gives you a pretty good idea of the main stories at the moment. Naturally, there are several books about 'Abenomics', the so-called economic policies of the incumbent prime minister, ABE Shinzo. There are many more books about the Constitution than I have ever seen before. Pro and anti-amendment. It is a key issue in the lead up to Sunday's election. 

The territorial disputes remain prominent as they were six months ago when I was last here and a number of books, memoir perhaps, of famous people and their views on life and its meaning. I always have a problem limiting myself. 

Mugi cha, at 6.12pm

On my way home, I notice the streetscapes have a little more colour than previously. I'm home in time for dinner and a 'mugi cha' just before that...nothing else says summer in Japan like mugi cha...bottles are constantly made up in the fridge, like water. 

Noting the small stuff

A night of watching the news again. There is little doubt about Abe's predicted win, it's just by 'how much'. 

We also do a little bit of camera prep for tomorrow's trip to Odawara. A combination of 'girls' day out' and camera excursion. We are split into Canon and Nikon factions... We bough the tickets on the way home too, rather exciting.